


getting along

by leftoveramericano



Category: Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Bromance, M/M, One Shot, softened relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 19:37:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10973976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leftoveramericano/pseuds/leftoveramericano
Summary: Lee Daehwi's fear is solidified when he knows Kang Dongho is a part of his team.





	getting along

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I decided to write this in the middle of writing another upcoming ongniel fanfiction (yes, I will post it here, so stay tuned) ((also it's going to be pretty long and heck i really didn't expect that)) just because these two have a rather interesting relationship, especially after being teamed up together. Hope you will enjoy this one as well!

_"I'm ruined..."_

is the first thing that popped out of Daehwi's mind when the manliest and most muscular trainee that is Kang Dongho proudly flipped back the board and showed it to Daehwi and as well as the rest that is part of his line.

_Blackpink - Playing With Fire_

At that very brief moment, Daehwi really wants to combust or evaporate. Unlike him, he can hear how Minki and Sewoon are cheering with so much please when Dongho showed them the board. Daehwi, being the considerate person that he always is, decides to show Dongho a little bit of gratitude.

"Ah, hyung!" Daehwi tries to display the most sincere smile, even though his inner-self is repeatedly and desperately asking for help. Dongho takes a slight glance at Daehwi and his facial expression suddenly changed. He was smiling as he was giving out high-fives to both Minki and Sewoon, but when Daehwi speaks out, it's different.

"Oh, I'm in the same group as you? Interesting." Dongho says with a smirk on his lips. Daehwi gulps, but he manages to keep his smile and mumbles out a small 'yeah' to Dongho. When Dongho takes the queue in the back, Daehwi feels like he is finally breathing properly. Throughout the session, his mind cannot stop imagining all the possible awful scenarios that could happen between him and Dongho. Not to mention that Dongho  _knows_ Daehwi is that one guy whose mouth gaped in fear as he entered the room. Dongho  _knows_ that Daehwi is the guy who did the double-voice during the group battle and it pretty disappointed him because Daehwi's group didn't consult it to his first. 

Daehwi starts messing around with his hair. He keeps throwing regrets at his past-self, because it had made nothing but awful relations with Kang Dongho. Out of all  _fucking 98 trainees_ why must it be Kang Dongho that he accidentally messed up with? 

Dongho cannot stop smiling when he sees how the 17-year-old boy that is sitting in very front of his team queue seems so frustrated at the moment, and he actually can get the glimpses of reasons as to why Daehwi is being like that. Dongho knows that Daehwi is feeling uneasy because they really are teammates right now. However, unlike Daehwi who is facing this challenge as some kind of natural catastrophe, Dongho is actually glad that he unknowingly picked the same song as Daehwi. He wants to fix that boy's perception about him, but of course it has to be done in  _his_ way.

After all of the trainees have been sorted out based on their choice, the staffs asked everyone to gather with their own group. When he heard the instruction, Dongho immediately points one empty spot and asks his teammates to sit there. Minki and Sewoon are agreeing with light heart, but Dongho can see how tensed Daehwi is actually looking despite of how the youngest is tirelessly trying to display his 'don't worry, I'm okay' face.

Long story short, they have kinda fixated on how do they want to present their own version of the song on the stage even though there had been some clashes happening between them at first due to the different ideas coming from Dongho and Sewoon. Thankfully in the end, they managed to put both sides' ideas into one piece of work. Sewoon, as the leader of the group, suggests that they should move to the recording room, so they can have more productive practice. Dongho, Minki, and Daehwi all agree to the suggestion that their leader offered. When they stand out and start to make their way to the recording room, Minki runs up to Sewoon who is walking alone in the front. He wants to ask him about some parts of the rearrangement that he still doesn't understand to the young music genius that is Jung Sewoon.

It should be okay for Minki to leave behind Dongho and Daehwi who are currently walking side-by-side in the back, but it is  _not_ okay for Daehwi personally, because--

"So, Daehwi, what is your thoughts on the rearrangement so far? Is it okay?" Daehwi is startled a bit when Dongho swings his right arm around the younger's neck, making their sides pressed against each other.

"Er, um, I think it's a really good rearrangement,  _hyung_. As expected from you and Sewoon- _hyung_ as well." Dongho cannot hide his smile any longer when he notices how Daehwi gulped and had to clear his throat before answering the question. This is going to be much more amusing than Dongho had originally anticipated. 

"You know what, Daehwi?" Dongho tightens the grip of his arm around Daehwi's neck, but it actually is not that tight. If anything, it still can be considered as normal grip, but to Daehwi it feels like a grim reaper is about to choke him to death. "I'm really glad that we are in the same team right now." Dongho smiles cheerfully at Daehwi, which makes the younger looks up to him and reply his smile (internally nervous, of course).

"Likewise,  _hyung_. I actually learn quite a lot from you." Daehwi might be the literal scaredy cat right now, but he truly means the part where he said that he learned some things from Dongho. He admits that Dongho sure looks so scary to the point that Daehwi has to hold his breath most of time whenever he spots the tough-looking guy, but that doesn't lessen the fact that Dongho does have talent in composing and arranging songs, which is something that Daehwi truly looks up to. 

"Hey, you guys! Pace it up a bit, will you?" Minki shouts at both Dongho and Daehwi who aren't keeping up the pace with Minki and Sewoon who are already standing in front of the exit door. Dongho shouts back at the pretty boy, with his arm still circling around Daehwi's neck. This time, he loosens it up a bit that Daehwi actually thinks it feels okay for Dongho to hold him like this. If anything, it's nice, because this can somehow liquefy their tensed relationship.

"Daehwi," Dongho speaks out with eyes focusing ahead. Daehwi looks up to Dongho as he mumbles a rather inaudible 'yes?' to the scary-looking  _hyung_ who is basically carrying him around with just his arm right now. "I mean it, when I said that I'm  _really_ glad to be on the same team as you." It's true that Daehwi cannot completely see what kind of expression does Dongho have when he lets out those words, or how his eyes are looking, but Daehwi can tell just from this one  _hyung_ of his that Dongho really means it. It makes Daehwi sighs in relief and happy in some way. Maybe this could really be start to soften up their relations between each other.

\---

The  _"Playing With Fire"_ team has been staying and practicing inside the recording room for three hours straight. When Sewoon takes a look at the clock, he is more than surprised to find out that it's already 10 pm. He clears his throat before clapping both of his hands to get his teammates' full attention. Dongho, Minki, and Daehwi who are still in the middle of practicing turns their head around to their leader.

"Guys, apparently it's already 10, so let's call it a day. Thank you for everyone's hard work! fighting!" The other three shout 'fighting!' as well right after Sewoon did. Dongho quickly unplugs his earphones and start assembling all the worksheets of the rearrangement that his group has done. Minki stands up and starts to stretch his body out as well. The leader is also hurriedly making his way out the moment he placed the electric guitar on the corner of the room.

"Hey, Dongho. Want to grab dinner?" Minki turns around to ask Dongho, who is apparently still organising quite plenty of worksheets.

"Yes, yes. Wait up a bit." Dongho takes one last worksheet into the order and he finally turns around to face Minki, who has actually left him. 

 _"That smartass."_ He cusses to himself as he starts to make his way out of the recording as well, but then he realises one thing.

Daehwi is still there. Sitting while singing out his parts with both of earphones plugged in his ears. Dongho furrows his eyebrows while looking at the youngest of the group. Did he not hear that Sewoon called it a day just before? Dongho slightly shakes and tilts his head and disapproval, because he saw how Daehwi immediately take off the earphones from his ears the moment he saw their leader clapping to all the immersed members. Therefore Dongho guesses that right after Sewoon called it a day, Daehwi put the earphones back right away.

He chuckles at the youngest who still doesn't realise that he is here as well. Dongho can tell that Daehwi is too immersed and absorbed in the music. An idea comes across his mind, and he thinks it's a brilliant one. Before executing the idea, Dongho gently placed the worksheets that he has organised properly on top of the keyboard. After he did, Dongho takes a proper and quick glance at Daehwi and it seems like the youngest hasn't realised that he isn't the only one who is still here. 

Dongho counts backwards from three to one before he decides to do what he had planned. When the counting ends, Dongho quickly shoves his body down and put his head on top of Daehwi's thigh, which of course caused Daehwi to scream so loud that Dongho has to cover both of his ears.

The youngest quickly takes off both the earphones on his ears. He wants to run away, but  _how the fuck could he do so_ _?_

" _H-hyung?!_ " Daehwi's eyes are popped looking at Dongho who is still covering both of his ears with his hands. The now-black-haired guy mumbles 'sorry' continuously to Dongho.

"Geez, your scream sure is something." Dongho removes his hands from his ears and start to laugh uncontrollably. Now instead of feeling scared, Daehwi is more like embarrassed of himself. Did he really scream that loud?

"W-well, I have all my reasons to be surprised, you know." The unexpected sentence that comes out of Daehwi's mouth quickly starts to make Dongho stop laughing, and when Daehwi realised what  _kind_ of sentence he had just said to _Kang-fucking-Dongho_ , suddenly he is failed to function. Nevertheless, Daehwi is still putting his efforts to explain it to Dongho. "I'm sorry,  _hyung_. What I mean is--"

"You are right. You have all the reasons to be surprised. If I were you, I'd be surprised, too, you know." Dongho softly laughs at Daehwi, and the younger really believes that Dongho doesn't shoot him some kind of sarcastic come back. The older does really mean it.

_Eh?_

_Daehwi isn't dreaming, right?_

_This is Kang Dongho that he knows, right?_

_The scary, intimidating, and firm Kang Dongho?_

_The manliest and most masculine trainee in here?_

_The one that Daehwi always tries to avoid as best as he can?_

Dongho nudges Daehwi's cheek by his index finger, and that one really startled the younger. Even though it's more like to I-Don't-Know-What's-Going-To-Happen-Next kind of startle instead of the God-I'm-So-Scared-Just-Take-My-Soul-Already one. 

"Ease down a bit, will you? Look around, everyone is already leaving." Daehwi gapes when he realises there are none left except him and Dongho. He knows that Sewoon did call it a day before, but he didn't expect everyone to leave instantly like that.

"Hey Daehwi, tell me what bothers your mind right now."

"Eh?" Daehwi looks down to Dongho, whose thumb is now supporting the index finger to lightly pinch Daehwi's cheek.

"The thoughts that bother you. Tell me those." Dongho moves up both of his index finger and thumb and use them to touch the edge of Daehwi's eyebrows. "Your eyebrows while you were practicing, they were always stiffly furrowed. Daehwi, in case you forget, when you sing, you don't think, but feel." The older uses his free hand to touch Daehwi's heart. "You feel it here."

Daehwi stays quiet for a while. He is looking down, but his eyes are definitely not fixated on Dongho's. The older seems to understand what kind of thoughts are running inside the younger's mind, so he just waits until Daehwi really wants to tell him anything that he is comfortable of telling.

"I am...scared,  _hyung_. Scared of not being able to keep my rank steady in the final 11, scared of seeing my friends getting better at everything meanwhile I'm just staying still, scared of realising how much harder this whole thing has become, scared of--" The touch of Dongho's thumb around the pair of his eyes stops Daehwi from saying any more words.

"Your eyes, they are sparkling from down here. Are you about to cry?" Daehwi shakes his head vigorously. He won't cry, not in front of anyone else and it's like a commitment that he has made to himself. That's why he's feeling thankful to Dongho for warning him beforehand, so he can avoid that from happening.

"Thank you,  _hyung,_ "

Dongho smiles at him. Right now, it's him that stares blankly in to the ceiling. However, Daehwi has keeping his eyes locked on Dongho who is still placing his head on top of the younger's thigh. 

"I understand all of those thoughts, Daehwi-ah." Daehwi is stunned upon hearing how soft Dongho's voice is right now and how the older just added 'ah' in the end of his name. "I  _really_ do understand." The younger nods in agreement. He knows what Dongho and the rest of NU'EST members have to go through the moment they decided to join this. When he compares his fear and anxiety to Dongho's, suddenly Daehwi feels so small, because Dongho's burdens are way much more complex and varied than his. "But, instead of working too hard and forgetting that you should actually sing by the sync of your heart not your brain," Dongho clears his throat a bit and closes his eyes for awhile. "You should just work by the right rhythm and to make sure that the song that you are singing is also representing the desire, will, and positive energy that your heart stores. Not the stress, fear, and worries that your mind has for you." Now he is looking straight at the pair of Daehwi's eyes as he brushes the younger's locks.

Both of them start to laugh lightly. Thanks to Dongho's words, now Daehwi realises how the most important thing of this all is that his will of wanting to practice has to be based on his positive energy and thoughts, be it his desires, ambitions, and dreams. Sure, he knows plenty of thing about making a set of choreography, arranging, composing, and even writing song, but he lacked one basic thing that is  _this_. However, now he knows and understands, and it's all thanks to Dongho.

"Are you still scared of me?" Daehwi chuckles. Suddenly he moves up both of his hands and start caressing Dongho's stubbles around his neck. "Hey, no one told you to touch me there?" Dongho retorts with giggle on his teeth, because he somehow cannot handle the tickling feeling.

"Exactly why,  _hyung_. You asked me whether I'm still scared of you, right?" Now Daehwi is giving a soft massage on Dongho's neck, which caused the taller guy laughs because it tickles him somehow. Daehwi keeps doing that to the point that both of them finally burst into a pure sea of laughters. Never has Daehwi ever thought that he would do this kind of thing with Dongho. If anything, Daehwi couldn't even imagine himself having this as a dream. Once their laughters have died out, because suddenly their stomach feels kinda hurt from laughing so much, Daehwi opens his mouth to break the silence. 

"Hey, Dongho- _hyung_."

"Yep? What is it?

"I want to thank you, and as well to tell you that," Daehwi smiles at Dongho as he softly wipes the sweat on the older's forehead. "I'm also glad to have you as my teammates." Dongho smiles and nods at the younger.

"Let's work hard together, Daehwi." The younger nods vigorously as he keeps caressing Dongho's stubbles with his hands. 

"Yes,  _hyung_."

 

* * *

 

The End


End file.
